Various Countries Response to the Pandemic that You May Have Missed

Back in March, no one had any idea that COVID was going to create a longterm lifestyle change. But things are going in that direction and all over the world there are people hunkered down for more than 120 days that never expected this to happen.

We are hunkered down in a rural location on the Oregon Coast. The theme for this season is nature and isolation. There are no other houses nearby. Other than grocery runs once a week we don't need to see anyone at all. In September we are moving to the top of a mountain near Ashland, Oregon.

I know we are all weary of COVID news. However, here is an update from some places you might not be following.

Bangkok's sex district (Patpong) has reopened now that Thailand has gone more than a month without any local transmission of the virus. Performers and massage parlor workers will wear facemasks and bikinis. Customers will have their temperatures taken and must give their contact info. cockfighting and fistfighting remain closed.

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Cambodia welcomes tourists to visit but they must leave a $3000 deposit to cover testing, one night of quarantine while tests are completed, any medical costs and funeral expenses. If anyone on the plane tests positive, then the entire plane must go into quarantine. Actually, I like this plan.

Buenos Aires, Argentina is back to stage one lockdown. Santiago, Chile as well. Peru locked down earlier than most places but now has the sixth-largest number of cases in the world and one of the highest death rates. The government of Peru is providing financial aid, however fewer than half of Peruvians have bank accounts so digital payment is impossible. so there are long lines outside of banks.

In Mexico half of all COVID cases are coming back positive. Yet a friend in Cancun says her employer insists she works in the office rather than home. She will decide this week whether to quit and go home to Canada or not. But Mexico only tests the sickest patients so those numbers can't be compared to other countries. Brazil- who knows- the government does not release any figures.

This morning in the United States the president tweetedthat coronavirus is a hoax designed to influence his reelection. The exact words were, "everyone is lying about the coronavirus as part of a plot to sabotage the economy and hurt Trump's reelection campaign." 

Iceland has no COVID and everyone is welcome to visit.

Turkmenistan in Central Asia continues to deny there are any Covid-19 cases, silences health workers, and does not promote social distancing and other preventative measures.

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